Looking to sell your home and ready to make a great first impression? Most potential home buyers decide within a matter of seconds if they want to go inside the home for another look. Therefore, it is imperative your home make a strong first impression.You want to impress the house hunter by showing them you take care of your home’s exterior because that leads them to believe you take care of your home’s interior as well.
According to Fortune Builders, nine out of ten home buyers start their search on the internet. That means street appeal is everything!In this case, a picture is truly worth 1000 words. We, at brick&batten, have helped hundreds of homeowners amp up their curb appeal for this very reason!
Below are several techniques that should be in play to get that buyer through the door!
#1. Install a Beautiful Flower Bed.
Colorful flower beds catch the eye; however, this should be done with care. There is a strategy for how and where to plant different colors for different blooming seasons. Mulch and flowers can be done fairly simply without breaking the bank. Buyers are also attracted to properties that have plants which highlight different features of the home. For example, plants and flowers flanking a doorway and shrubs or small bushes lining a walkway.
#2. Update Your Front Door.
Updating your front door is probably the most worthwhile and cost friendly way to make a great first impression to house hunters. Most doors have over 100% return on investment! Maybe it’s replacing a solid door with one that lets in more light, or something as simple as painting your current door to bring life back into the color. Either way, your goal is to make people feel welcome, so your door should be an inviting focal point.
#3. Clean Up or Replace Your Outdoor Lighting.
Lighting is a great way to showcase different landscape in the front and also provides security for those walking to the doorway. That said, lighting should be beautiful and functional! At brick&batten we see many gorgeous lights, but they aren’t sized correctly for the space they are to be illuminating. A light should be one third to one fourth the size of your door.Away with the tiny sconces… it’s better to be too big than too small! If your light meets the mark, then be sure the glass is clean and free of cobwebs.If your light needs replaced, this is an easy fix and makes a huge improvement!
#4. Last but Not Least…
Walk up your driveway and onto your sidewalk leading to the door. Are there cracks that need filled?If so, fill them!Are there weeds that need pulled? If so, pull them. Is there dirt, rust, oil, etc. spills in an area that can be cleaned?If so, power wash the area. Are your windows dirty? If so, clean them up.Are your trash cans put away and out of sight? If not, find a place other than in front of your house to store them. Are all lightbulbs in good working order? If not, replace them with soft light.
According to Zillow, April, May, June, and July are prime months to put your house on the market. Be sure your house is ready by making a great first impression.Trust me, home buyers are far more likely to enter your home and see your beautiful kitchen remodel if the exterior of your home shows care.
If you are looking for a virtual exterior design to make changes or to market your home, brick&batten is happy to partner with you to create simple changes for a big impact! Let’s get that house sold!
Cassie co-founded brick&batten in 2017 with her sister, Alli, but her love of home design was born years earlier. Cassie’s passion for design can be traced back to her childhood, when she’d accompany her parents on road trips through small towns in search of inspiration for properties they would buy, fix up, and sell.
Prior to launching brick&batten, Cassie worked as a fourth grade teacher, but her love of design, architecture, home renovation, and open houses inspired her to pursue a new career. When writing for brick&batten, Cassie aims to empower homeowners to make the best informed decisions for their property. She knows from experience how challenging home renovation can be, and when she writes, she puts herself in the shoes of every homeowner with similar frustrations.
Cassie currently lives in Florida with her four children, an old dog, and her loving husband. When she’s not working, Cassie is most likely checking out a nearby open house or traveling to learn about the latest house trends.
By: Cassie McDowell
